Corded or ribbed fabrics



Dec. 27, 1955 c. E. NEISLER, JR 2,728,361

CORDED OR RIBBED FABRICS Filed March 16, 1953 ATTO RNE'YS United States Patent O CORDED R RIBBED FABRICS Charles Eugene N eisler, Jr., Kings Mountain, N. C., assignor to Neisler Mills, Inc.

Application March 16, 1953, Serial No. 342,477 2 Claims. (Cl. 139-383) This invention relates to corded or ribbed fabrics and a method of making the same.

The primary aim and object of the present invention is the provision of a woven corded or ribbed fabric having a greater proportion of the thread material on one face of the fabric than on the other face thereof whereby less material is required for the same face appearance and same strength of the fabric in the sense of resistance to wear as compared with a fabric of like character having an equal proportion of the thread material on both faces thereof. Accordingly, the face of the fabric of the present invention possesses a greater degree of wear resistance as compared with a corded fabric of like character having an equal proportion or distribution of the thread material on both faces thereof. Another object of the present invention is the provision of a corded or ribbed fabric of the above character which is of generally improved appearance and construction.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved method of making a corded or ribbed fabric of the aforenoted character which is adapted to be performed on conventional weaving apparatusv without modification thereof.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings. y

In the drawings, which illustrate the best mode now contemplated by me for practicing the invention:

Fig. 1 is a top segment formed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the construction of the fabric segment of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan View, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the fabric segment shown in Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing, Figs. l and 6 thereof, there is shown a woven ribbed fabric segment 10 which comprises a series of threads which are interwoven in warp and weft directions in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter to form a plurality of laterally spaced ribs or cords 12 and a plurality of laterally spaced flat portions 14 disposed between the ribs 12 and connecting the latter. ln the finished fabric 10, the ribs 12 are raised from the flat portions 14 and the latter portions extend longitudinally of the fabric segment 10 parallel to said ribs.

With reference to Figs. 2-5, the weft threads 20, 22, 24 and 26 are interwoven with warp threads 28 of a plurality of ribbed formations 12 and hat formations and more particularly to plan view of a woven ribbed fabric t 14, said weft threads being successively interwoven with warp threads 28 of a plurality of ribbed formations and floated over the warp threads of one ribbed formation after being interwoven at said plurality of ribbed formations. In the illustrated embodiment, the weft thread 20 is interwoven with the warp threads 28 at ribs a and b and flat formations d and e and said weft thread is floated over the warp threads 28 of'ribc lwith this interweaving and floating of the weft thread 20 being sequentially repeated for each group of three successive ribs wherein it will be seen that said weft thread is interwoven successively with two ribs and floated over a third rib. The weft threads are interwoven with the warp threads at all of the flat formations and accordingly no floating over of warp threads takes place at any of the flat formations d, e and f. Thus for each successive series of three ribs a, b and c there are two successive interweaves between the weft and warp threads and one float, it being noted that said float takes place at the underside of the fabric segment 10. The weft thread 22 is interwoven and floated relative to the warp threads 28 in a similar manner as thread 20 except that said interweaving and floating operations will be staggered relative to the weft thread 20. Thus, the weft thread 22 is floated over the warp threads 28 of rib a and is interwoven with the warp threads 28 of the ribs b and c whereby the floated over portions 30, 32, and 34 of adjacent weft threads will be laterally displaced one rib from each other. As aforepointed out the flat formations d, e and f are formed by interweaving series' of warp and weft threads and no floated over thread portions are present in said flat formations. The weft thread 24 is similarly floated over, and interwoven with, the warp threads 28 with the weft thread 24 being floated over the warp threads 28 of rib b as indicated at 32 whereby successive weft threads will be floated over successive ribs in the aforedescribed manner. It will be apparent that each of the weft threads 20, 22, and 24 is interwoven with third successivey rib with adjacent weft threads being floated over adjacent ribs. Thus, the floated over portions 30, 32 and 34 of the adjacent weft threads, 22, 24 and 26, respectively, are all laterally displaced or stagbe repeated throughout the fabric segment 10 for each group of three weft threads. The weft thread 26 will be interwoven with, and floated over, the warp threads utilized to form the ribs depending on the width of rib desired; Each of the flat formations d, e and f, comprises a series of four warp threads 28, it being apparent to those skilled in the art that a threads may be utilized to form such flat formations depending on the pattern desired. Further inlthis regard,- f, Aare preferably. fori-ned,r` is to be understood thaty the flat formations, a', e and other weaves may be used depending on the fabric appearance desired. In the illustrated embodiment, the weft threads are interwoven with the warp threads of two successive ribs and oated over a next successive rib, it being understood that this particular construction is given by way of example only and that other constructions different number of warp may be utiiized depending on the fabric desired. Thus, agroup of weft threads may be interwoven with a series of three successive ribs and floated over a fourth successive rib to produce an effect which differs from the illustrated embodiment in a manner which will be described in detail hereinafter. It is to 'be noted that the illustrations of Figs. 2 through 5 are diagrammatic representations and that when the interweaving and floating operations aforedescribed are completed, fabric segment 10 will be formed having ribs k12 and hat formations 14 with the former being raised above the plane of the latter. More particularly, the floated `over portions 30, 32 and 34 of the weft threads 22, 24 and 26, respectively, will be raised below the plane of the fiat formations 'i4 whereas the interwoven weft portions at ribs a, vI) and c will be raised above the plane of said at formationst'he upper face of the fabric segment .l0 constituring the right side of said segment.

It follows Vfrom the above that each of the ribs a, b

and c will have a greater proportion of the length of weft -threads 2t), Z2, 24 and 26 on the upper face of said ribs than on the opposite face thereof whereby a greater proportion of the interwoven threads is on the upper face or right side of the fabric. ln the illustrated embodiment twice the length of the weft threads will appear on one face of the ribs of the fabric segment than on an opposite face thereof since there are twice the number of interweaves as iioated over portions at `said ribs, and, as noted above, the oated over portions will appear on the under side of the fabric segment whereas the interwoven length of the weftthreads at said ribs will appear on the opposite side or right side of the fabric segment. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, twothirds of the length of weft threads at the rib formations will be disposed on the upper face of the fabric whereas the remaining one-third of said lengths of weft threads will appear on the underside of the ribs of said fabric. In a fabric construction where the weft threads are interwoven at a series of three successive ribs and floated over a fourth successive rib, three-fourths of the lengths of weft threads will appear on one face of the fabric at `the rib formations and the remaining one-quarter of the lengths of weft threads will appear on the opposite face of said fabric at the rib formations. Accordingly, by interweaving and oating the weft threads at the rib formations in the aforedescribed manner a greater proportion of the material of said weft threads will be on one face of the fabric than on the other face thereof, `this construction requiring less material for the same face appearance and the same strength of lfabric as compared with a fabric of similar character having an equal proportion of the weft thread material on both faces thereof. Accordingly, the fabric segment 1i) is stronger and possesses a greater degree 'of Wear resistance as Cmpared with a fabric of like character ,having an equaly proportion or distribution of the thread` material on both faces thereof and more particularly on both faces of .the rib formations. The upper face, or right side of the fabric, is normally subjected to the greatest amount of wear and abuse and said `face of the fabric segment 10 is very strong andA possesses a high degree of wear resistance due to the thread material distribution aforedescribed.

Any desired yarn may be used for the warp and weft threads of the fabric, for example rayon, wool, cotton, and the like, and the ribbed fabric 10 is eminently suitable for use as upholstery fabric although garment and other fabric may be constructed in accordance with the aforcdescribed method by the utilization of an lappropriate yarn. Each of the ribs, a, b and c thus compris; a series of warp threads and weft threads, the latter Corry ltl 4 prising thread lengths interwoven with warp threads of the ribs and thread lengths floated over said warp threads, with a greater number of the weft thread lengths being interwoven with the Warp threads than lfloated thereover so that one face, the upper face, of the fabric will have a greater proportion of the material of the weft threads.

While I have shown and `described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the present invention without departing from the underlying idea or principles of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A woven ribbed' or cord fabric, comprising warp and weft threads forming laterally spaced ribbed or cord formations, said fabric having a plurality of intermediate comparatively flat formations disposed parallel to said ribbed formations, each of said flat formations being disposed between two adjacent ones of said ribbed formations, each of said flat formations comprising a plurality of Warp .threads interwoven with said weft threads, said weft threads being interwoven with the warp threads of a plurality of adjacent ribbed formations and lioating over the warp threads of one of said ribbed formations next to said adjacent ribbed formations, in succession weftwise of the fabric with adjacent weft threads having their oated portions staggered weftwise of the fabric so that each of said ribbed formations has portions of said weft threads floated thereover in laterally spaced parallel disposition, said ribbed formations being disposed on one side of the fabric and said floated portions of said weft threads being disposed on the opposite side of the fabric with the inter woven portions o f said weft threads in said ribbed formations raised above the plane of said intermediate flat formations, whereby more of the material of said weft threads is disposed on one face of the fabric than on an opposite face thereof. t

2. A woven ribbed or cord fabric, comprising warp and weft threads forming laterally spaced ribbed or cord formations, said fabric having a plurality of intermediate comparatively ilat formations disposed parallel to said ribbed formations, each of said flat formations being disposed between two adjacent ones of said ribbed formations, each of said dat formations comprising a plurality of warp threads interwoven with said weft threads, said weft threads being interwoven with the warp threads of two adjacent ribbed formations and oating over the warp threads of one of said ribbed formations next to said adjacent ribbed formations, in succession weftwise of the fabric with adjacent weft threads having their lioated portions staggered one rib from each other weftwise of the fabric so that each of said ribbed formations has portions of said weft threads floated thereover in laterally spaced parallel disposition, said ribbed formations being disposed on one side of the fabric and said floated portions of said weft threads being disposed on the opposite side of the fabric with the interwoven portions of said weft threads in said ribbed formations raised above the plane of said intermediate flat formations, whereby substantially twice the length of the weft threads is interwoven at said ribbed formations than is floated thereover.

References Cited in the tile of this patent A UNITED STATES PATENTS 

